Starting in the 1890s, the development of commuter suburbs in New Jersey led small, dissatisfied segments of existing townships to use an obscure law to break away and form separate boroughs. The trend was most pronounced in Bergen County, which today is still divided into 70 distinct municipalities (see the map). The phenomenon became so common that it became known as “boroughitis” or “borough mania.” As of 2014, New Jersey has 565 municipalities — more per capita than any other state.

Gary notes that he grew up in one these boroughs, Woodcliff Lake, “established in 1894.”

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